


Golden

by cat_77



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Dubious Consent, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-18
Updated: 2011-12-18
Packaged: 2017-10-27 11:44:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/295479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cat_77/pseuds/cat_77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has a gift.  Or, the one where Merlin comes gold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Golden

**Author's Note:**

> I am sorry.

* * *

  
Arthur, of course, first thought it to be rubbish. Then he saw the simple little kitchen maid with the pretty smile and pretty curls and a pretty golden bracelet around her pretty little wrist.

“I had the smith make it from what I had gathered,” she said with only the barest hint of shame. “It took more than once, but it was more than worth it, in every way you could imagine,” she confided in a friend, oblivious to the fact the prince was listening in from around the corner. They dissolved into giggles and he dissolved into thought.

The matter reasserted itself when Arthur saw Sir Brisbane tuck an interestingly shaped pendant away and smile knowingly at a certain someone. The matter escalated when Arthur found Jason, one of the simplest stable boys ever to hold a shovel, fitting a small golden charm on his favourite old nag – the boy too stupid to know wealth when he saw it, or possibly had a different system of value than the prince.

Finally, after hearing the laundresses discuss the tiny little specks they had collected and melted down from the several loads of wash, Arthur decided he needed to do something about it. Unfortunately, it happened to be at the same time word had gotten to his father and he was called before the king on this very matter.

“There is a rumour going around,” his father began. Though Arthur tried to look innocent, his father added, “I’m sure you know which one.”

He nodded his head and clutched his hands behind his back, looking like the dutiful son and not at all like he feared what could come out of the king’s mouth next.

“Merlin,” his father said, and Arthur sighed as his fears were confirmed. “If what is said is true...”

“Then he may be a sorcerer,” Arthur finished for him. He could not bring himself to say the next words, that it would mean his servant and friend would be put to death.

“That may well be true,” his father admitted, but looked oddly unconcerned. “Though I doubt he knows much considering the boy’s usual ineptitude. That would be yet another thing for you to investigate, of course.”

Arthur started to nod, but stopped and asked, “Another thing?”

The king leaned forward, resting his hands on the table and not bothering to hide the gleam in his eyes. “We must know if this… talent of his is true. If it is…”

“He will be put to death,” Arthur supposed.

His father shook his head. “Far from that,” he insisted. “He will live the life of the most well cared for servant in the history of Camelot!”

Arthur tried to wrap his head around that, but only managed, “What?”

His father leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “If the boy produces gold, pure gold as the evidence supports, our coffers will never be empty again!”

“Well, so long as someone…” Arthur started, but stopped himself as he realized this was his father he was speaking to.

He should not have worried as his father was nodding along and was almost enthusiastic as he added, “And if that someone is you, all the better!” At Arthur’s look of surprise he said, “His interlude with Sir Brisbane indicates an interest in men and surely the Crown Prince would be a better catch than a measly knight or stablehand. If course, if he only settled for them, we would have to find someone of the fairer sex – do you think Morgana would mind if it was for king and country?”

Arthur could not believe he was having this conversation. “I… just… Why don’t we verify it and move on from there?” he asked with a wince. He did not wish to imagine Morgana’s response to this line of questioning, though his mind provided him with several vivid images.

“Very well,” his father agreed, settling back against his chair. “Let me know what you discover. Woo him if need be and all that – it should not be hard as he seems like such a simple boy. If he produces gold as rumour states, he will have a far more comfortable life. If not, well, your servant may have a few new duties. Don’t make that face, I know you fancy him but worry such relations would be uncouth. I can assure you that they are not, at least not in Royal circles. That hardly matters with what is at stake, though. Off with you now, I expect a full report in the morning. Well, perhaps afternoon if all goes well.”

Arthur stood there gaping like a fish for a moment, still trying to wrap his head around what just happened. His father had returned to his documents though, and given him an explicit dismissal, so he left and tried to think of ways to “woo” his idiot manservant.

To be honest, it was not the first time he had thought of such things and his father’s light little comment had hit close to home. He had pushed those thoughts to the side though as it was not exactly proper for a man in his position to make advances towards someone in Merlin’s position as it would seem coerced. Of course, these thoughts led to the thoughts of other positions Merlin could be in and, really, those were likely not going to be helpful, at least not yet.

He reached his room to find Merlin bent over the bed, trying to smooth down the blanket in the corner furthest from where he currently stood. Arthur took a moment to admire the view, mind drifting to possibly better views, then snapping back to reality when he realized what he was thinking and how it was technically ordered by the king and didn’t that just take the wind from his sails?

He blinked to find Merlin turned around and watching him expectantly. “Can I help you?” he said with only a little bit of attitude. He was getting better.

Arthur cleared his throat. “I, well, I heard something interesting today,” he managed. When did his voice get so high anyway? He was a prince. A prince should be able to proposition whoever the hell they wanted to, for whatever reason they came up with. Then again, it wasn’t just a proposition, was it? There was the proposition, and then there was the wanting, and then there was the ordering which he really did not want to think about right now and...

His thoughts came to a sudden halt as Merlin sighed dramatically. Arthur watched as his shoulders fell and he looked defeated. “You too then? I guess, well, I don’t know what I thought, but I should have known better,” Merlin muttered. He looked around the room despondently. “Do you have a cup or a bowl or something? Probably a chalice knowing you. Don’t worry, I won’t make you get your hands dirty or any such thing. I’d use a napkin or kerchief, but I think the laundresses are starting to get greedy.”

Arthur blinked as Merlin’s words hit home. “Merlin?” he asked carefully. He took a step forward and tried not to take it personally when Merlin took a step back and nearly hit the bedpost. “Have the others... Have the others been using you for, er, your ‘talents’ without your full consent?”

Merlin snorted, a bit of the real him coming back in to play. “Well, it’s not like I don’t get anything out of it, yeah?” he asked, a hint of amusement to his tone. “Not to seem all prissy or anything, it’s just I’d like to feel like more than a jeweller, you know?”

Arthur felt his face heat at how bluntly Merlin discussed the situation. “Merlin...” he tried.

“Well, technically not even that,” Merlin continued, oblivious to his distress. “I mean, it’s not like I make the little trinkets even, I just make what they are made of. A miner, maybe? No, technically they are mining me, and by they I of course mean you, and did you find that goblet of yours yet or is this to get messy?”

Arthur dumbly held out the first thing he found, a small bowl that held the remnants of assorted nuts that the two of them had consumed the evening before.

Merlin nodded in thanks, dumped the few shells in the hearth, and then continued to ramble, “Technically, you don’t even have to be here, you know. It’s just sort of an extra perk, really. Makes me think the person wants me and not my goods, so to speak.” He started to undo the ties to his trousers with only a hint of a blush. Arthur could not tell if it was because of the audience or what next came out of his mouth of, “Though the, eh, ‘production’ does increase with sensation. It’s like a pleasure thing, really. The more I like it, the more you like the results.”

“Merlin...” Arthur tried again, to no effect.

“Some people talk to me, tell me things they think I’d like to hear. Sometimes they, eh, interact, so to speak,” Merlin continued. He looked up suddenly, ties a knot in his hand. “Not that I would expect you, I mean, I can’t, I mean... you’re the prince so I would not expect any such thing and really don’t want you to think I’d even ask or anything and why are these blasted things so knotted anyway?”

Arthur finally gathered the courage to reach out and still Merlin’s hand, catching him and stopping him from toppling over when he jumped from the contact. “Merlin,” he said, finally certain he had the other man’s attention. “I cannot and will not demand such a thing from you.” Merlin seemed to slump, though in defeat or relief Arthur could not tell. Figuring he had nothing left to lose but a lifetime free from embarrassment, Arthur continued, “I can, however, ask if you would be willing to share such a gift, share part of yourself, if given the chance.”

“With the crown and the coffers?” Merlin guessed.

Arthur shook his head and tried not to think about the fact that he had yet to move his hand from Merlin’s own, the ties and something far more tangible still pressing against his skin. “No, with me,” he whispered.

He tilted his head a little and Merlin got with the program and tilted his own and soon enough warm lips met warm lips and a bowl was left forgotten on the floor.

Later, much later, Arthur contemplated just how he was supposed to tell his father about his findings. Soon after, he decided to leave such things be for now as there were more important things to worry about, including the warm body at his side that was quite incessantly demanding his attention.

Finally, as the first golden rays of the sun poured through the window to his room, highlighting its occupants and their creations, Arthur took stock of the situation, at least in his own mind. Merlin lay curled beside him, body like alabaster crowned with kohl. The sheets were decorated with precious metal and Arthur could not resist dipping his finger in it and drawing upon the palette presented before him. He wrote names and promises, watching as they glowed as bright as a certain set of eyes had during the preceding night’s activities.

“What are you doing?” Merlin murmured, not quite fully opening those eyes as he snuggled into the touch.

Arthur leaned down and placed a kiss upon his furrowed forehead and, when Merlin tilted his head up to offer his lips instead, he could not help but draw a line across that brow , imagining it decorated with a circlet or maybe a fine crown with tiny jewels or at least elaborate runes. He could picture the gold contrasting with the pale and the black, and thought it only fitting that Merlin finally reap a reward for all of his efforts. He still was not certain what he was going to tell his father, but did not worry about that now.

Instead, he smiled against those tempting lips and whispered, “Do you want to give the laundresses and chambermaids something to _really_ talk about?”


End file.
